Resilient support for laundry apparatus



Sept. 6, 1955 P. w. DOUGLAS RESILIENT SUPPORT FOR LAUNDRY APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 29, 1948 I I A56] INVENTOR. PEYTEIMW ljnunLAs BY W W ATTURNEY Sept. 6, 1955 P. w. DOUGLAS 2,717,135

RESILIENT SUPPORT FOR LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29, 1948 4 Sheets$heet 5 INVENTOR. PBY'rnn w DOUGLAS ATTUENEY Sept. 6, 1955 P. W. DOUGLAS RESILIENT SUPPORT FOR LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Dec. 29. 1948 4 Sneets-Sheet 4 7 ga I 7. 18/ 82 60 /8O \X a /32 /04 El 220 H28 230 I82 PEYT on w H UUGLAS' INVENTOR.

BYWW

AT TUHNEY United States Patent RESILIEN T SUPPORT FOR LAUNDRY APPARATUS Peyton W. Douglas, Syracuse, N. Y., assiguor to Easy Washing Machine Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 29, 1948, Serial No. 67,897 8 Claims. (Cl. 24820) This invention relates to laundry apparatus, and more particularly to such apparatus in which rotating parts liable to be unbalanced, such as centrifugal extractors, are employed.

In laundry apparatus of the type described, there is generally provided a wash containing receptacle which serves a double purpose; that is, for tumbling or agitating the clothes immersed in wash water, and for subsequently centrifugally extracting rinse water or wash water from such laundry. In automatic laundry apparatus, where time control mechanism is employed for causing such apparatus to automatically progress through a sequence of operations, one of which is the washing operation and another of which is the extracting operation, distribution of laundry within the receptacle is seldom uniform or dynamically balanced. The varying nature of the component articles of a batch of laundry renders it difiicult to secure uniform distribution, and where odd pieces such as heavy bath towels, chenille rugs, and the like, are laundered, the distribution is likely to be so far from uniform that during high speed extraction, severe vibration will be set up. Such vibration is objectionable in itself, prevents high speed rotation without the use of excessive power for spinning, and the usual size of fractional horsepower motor may be insufficient to even aecelerate the receptacle through so-oalled critical speed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a resilient mounting for a laundry apparatus of the type described, which will permit vibration or gyration resulting from unbalanced loads to take place without transmitting objectionable vibration to a supporting structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide. a resilient support for a centrifugal extractor of the type described, which will permit such extractor to gyrate so as to compensate for unbalanced loads.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide, in conjunction with a resilient support for a centrifugal extractor, suitable damping means for resisting gyratory motion to decrease the amplitude thereof.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a resilient mounting, wherein the extractor is resiliently supported for vertical movement, and in which transverse elliptical tracks are provided to permit gyratory movement.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

Figure l is a front elevation of a laundry apparatus illustrating the invention;

ice

Figure 2 is a rear elevation view of the laundry apparatus illustrating the invention;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken through the laundry apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of a modied form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail of a further modifica tion of the invention; and

Figure 7 is a transverse section taken on the line 77 of Figure 6.

In Figures 1 to 3, there is shown a supporting base 10 comprising rectangular open front and back panels 12 and 14, and side panels 16 and 18. The panels are formed of angle pieces which may be suitably secured together by welding or any equivalent means. The base as thus formed provides a rigid supporting open rectangular surface 20 upon which is resiliently mounted the laundry unit 22. The unit 22 may comprise a wash containing drum 24, having one or more agitating ribs 26 therein, and mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis. The particular construction of the drum may, for example, be that shown in either of the applications Serial No. 775,236, filed September 20, 1947, now Patent No. 2,637,186, or Serial No. 775,237, filed September 20, 1947, now Patent No. 2,637,189, and the details thereof form no particular part of the present invention.

In the arrangement shown, wash water is introduced into the drum from the hot and cold water control valves 30 through a central pipe 32 extending through a hollow supporting trunnion 34 at the rear of the drum. Wash water is removed from the drum by a spiral vane arrangement 36 located in a rear compartment 38 of the drum 24. The drum is provided with a circular opening 42 concentric with the trunnion 34 in the forward wall thereof, to which a circular door 44 is applied for retaining wash fluid within the drum. The door is rotatably mounted upona bearing stud 46 coaxially arranged with respect to the trunnion 34 when the door is closed, the bearing being supported upon a circular hinge plate 48, hinged to a from frame member 50, of a floating resiliently supported cradle or carriage 52.

The cradle is composed of the forward frame member 50, a fore and aft extending connecting member 51, and a rear frame member 41, having abearing 40 for the trunnion 34. The forward member 50 is 'pro* vided with a hinge 53 and latch 55 for the hinge plate 48. Suitable brackets such as 56 and 58 are attached to the rear frame member 41 to support a hot and cold water electromagnetic inlet valve 60, connected to the water inlet pipe 32, and a drain system comprising a journal surrounding receptacle 62 and drain pump 64. The cradle connecting member 51 supports a drive motor 66 having a belt drive 68 to a pulley 70 mounted on the trunnion 34. The motor also drives through a belt drive 72 the pump 64. It will be seen that the cradle, motor, washing drum and inlet valves, pump and drain outlet are in effect a single unit.

The unit thus described including the cradle or carriage 52 is resiliently supported upon the base 10. The frame members 50 and 41 have relatively broad bases 74 at the rear and 76 at the front, at the opposite ends of which are provided forward and rearward projecting mounting studs such as 78, 80, 82 and 84. On each of the studs is rotatably mounted a roller 86 having a cylindrical resilient tread 88 of rubber or similar material. Each roller is adapted to rest upon an elliptical track 90 formed in resiliently supported frame-like block mem bers 92, 94, 96 and 98. The elliptical track has a bounding flange along one edge thereof. The forward block members 92 and 94 are supported upon barrel shaped compression springs 102 bearing against the rectangular surface 29 formed by the frame 12. Each spring may be secured at its ends by resilient ball-like members 104 of rubber or rubbenlike material which are sufficiently large in diameter to secure the ends of the barrel shaped springs to the respective members 92 and 94 and surface 20, and yet act as snubbers upon extreme downward movement. Each resilient ball has imbedded therein a mounting pin 106 which may be secured to the frame 12 and the members 92, 94, 96 and 98 in any suitable manner. The forward elliptical members 92 and 94 may be tied together by a leaf spring 108 secured at its center to a bracket 119 extending upward from the rectangular surface of the frame 12. Thus, the movement of the members 92 and 94 is constrained to substantially up and down movement.

The rear elliptical members 96 and 98 may be resiliently mounted upon the base 12, the upper surface 28 being provided with suitable supporting corner platforms or supporting perches 112 and 114. Each of the members 96 and 98 is mounted upon barrel springs 102 in the same manner as the members 92 and 94 at the front of the machine. The elliptical support elements 96 and 98 may be constrained to move vertically by guide rods such as 116 and 118 slidably extending through ears 120 and 122 of the elements 96 and 98, the guide rods extending through apertures in the corner platforms 112 and 114 and being anchored in integral bosses 124 and 126.

Each of the mounting studs extends beyond its respective roller such as 86 and is equipped with a friction plate 128 swivelly mounted upon a ball-like end 130 for uni versal movement, the friction plates carrying a suitable friction facing material 132. The frame 12 has rigidly secured thereto front brackets 134 and 136 and rear brackets 138 and 140 providing vertical friction surfaces for engagement with the friction material 132 carried by each of the studs 78, 80, 82 and 84. The brackets 134, 136, 138 and 140 will preferably be of spring-like material and tensioned so as to bear against the opposed friction pads 132 as carried upon studs 78 and 82 and 80 and 84. The friction provided will be sufficient to dampen extreme movement of the cradle supported unit when spinning the drum at high speed with an unbalanced I rel springs 102.

load therein. At the same time, the rollers 86, supported 7 I by the elliptical elements 92, 94, 96 and 98 are somewhat free except for friction pads 132 to move laterally through short distances, but it will appear that upon severe lateral vibration, the rollers will move upon the increasing inclined portions of the elliptical track and maximum movement of the cradle supported unit will be limited to a gyratory movement as constrained by the elliptical track in each of the elements 92, 94, 96 and 98. It will be appreciated that lateral movement of the elliptical track elements is limited by the leaf spring 108 at the front and the guide rods 116 and 118 at the rear, but that the vertical movement is relatively free except for the friction elements, and the stiffness of the barrel springs 102. Thus, the up and down yielding movement of the elliptical track will permit the cradle to gyrate and lateral movement in gyrating will be transformed into vertical movement which in turn will be transmitted to the barrel springs 102.

It will be seen that increments of lateral movement of v the rollers on the elliptical tracks, will produce increments of movement of varying degree vertically in the track blocks, such that upon severe lateral movement, relatively large vertical movement will take place while upon slight lateral movement practically no vertical movement of the blocks results. This provides an everchanging mechanical advantage of force transmission ration in converting lateral movement to vertical movement such that the system will have no resonant frequency.

The frame 10 and unit structure may be suitably enclosed by a housing 15, so constructed and arranged as to provide sufficient clearance around the cradle supported unit, that considerable movement within the limits imposed by the suspension is afforded.

If desired, the structure previously described may be modified by supporting the elliptical track members upon a single double-ended cantilever leaf spring member such as is shown in Figure 5. In this arrangement, there is provided a leaf spring 208 of sufficient stiffness supported upon a relatively rigid bracket 210 mounted upon the frame 12, such that the cradle unit is resiliently supported in much the same fashion as in the form shown in Figures l, 2 and 3, although the plurality of compression barrel springs are dispensed with. In the arrangement thus shown, the same friction devices may be employed, such friction devices being mounted upon the ends of the studs 78, 80, 82 and 84 as previously described.

While the rollers with their rubber tires, acting on the elliptical tracks as described, provide a mounting capable of the desired freedom of motion, it will appear that a pendulum link arrangement may be employed which may give a similar effect in operation. In Figures 6 and 7, there is shown a pendulum suspension which may be applied to each corner of the cradle as previously described. In this modification, each of the studs 78, 80, 82 and 84 may take the form of the studs shown at 178 in Figures 6 and 7, wherein such studs are shown as suspended upon links 188 swivelly supported as at 181 from the upper side of rectangular frame members 182, each of which in turn may be supported in a manner similar to the elliptical track members previously described, namely on barrel springs 102. The rectangular frames may be guided by ears such as 228 riding on stationary pins 116, or may be suitably constrained for substantially vertical movement by a resilient transverse leaf spring such as shown in Figure l at 108. If desired. the rectangular frame members such as 182 may be directly supported on a relatively stiff leaf spring member such as 208, thereby dispensing with the individual bar- It will readily appear to those skilled in the art the manner in which the various forms described may be interchanged and adapted to secure a support for the cradle unit which may move from side to side with relative freedom in a circular or elliptical path insofar as the rectangular frame elements 182 or the elliptical track elements such as 92 are concerned.

It will also appear in Figure 7 that the studs 178 may be provided with a spherical end such as 230 upon which may be universally mounted the previously described friction plate 128 with friction lining 132, the latter bearing against brackets such as 134, 136, 138 or 140, as the case may be.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in conjunction with several modifications, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a support for a washing machine having an extracting drum rotatable about an axis out of the vertical and subject to unbalanced loads, a journal supporting carriage for the revolving extractor drum, a stationary frame, a plurality of resiliently supported means comprising arcuate tracks lying in planes substantially transverse to the axis of drum rotation, and rollers in engagement therewith carried by said carriage and frame.

2. In a support for a washing machine having an extracting drum rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and subject to unbalanced loads, a journal supporting carriage for the revolving extractor drum, a stationary frame, a plurality of resiliently supported means comprising arcuate tracks lying in planes substantially transverse to the axis of drum rotation, and rollers in engagement therewith carried by said carriage and frame, and friction damping means acting therebetween.

3. In a support for a washing machine having an extracting drum rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and subject to unbalanced loads, a journal supporting carriage for the revolving extractor drum, a stationary frame, a plurality of resiliently supported arcuate tracks mounted on said stationary frame, rollers engaging said tracks and carried by said carriage, and frame supported means for constraining the movement of said tracks substantially in a vertical plane extending transversely of the drum axis.

4. In a support for a washing machine having an extracting drum rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and subject to unbalanced loads, a journal supporting carriage for the revolving extractor drum, a stationary frame, and means for resiliently supporting said carriage from said frame, said means comprising rollers engaging substantially elliptical tracks lying in substantially vertical planes, and frame supported means constraining one of the last named elements to movement substantially in a vertical plane extending transversely of the drum axis.

5. In a support for a washing machine having an extracting drum rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and subject to unbalanced loads, a journal supporting carriage for the revolving extractor drum, a stationary frame, a plurality of resiliently supported arcuate tracks mounted on said stationary frame, rollers engaging said tracks and carried by said carriage, frame supported means for constraining the movement of said tracks substantially in a vertical plane extending transversely of the drum axis, and friction means for resisting relative movement between two of the relatively movable carriage, frame, and tracks.

6. In a support for a washing machine having an extracting drum rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and subject to unbalanced loads, a journal supporting carriage for the revolving extractor drum, a stationary frame, and means for resiliently supporting said carriage from said frame, said means comprising rollers engaging substantially elliptical tracks lying in substantially vertical planes extending transversely of the drum axis, frame supported means constraining one of the last named elements to movement substantially in a vertical plane, and 40 means for frictionally restricting movement between any two of the carriage, frame and means elements.

7. In a support for a washing machine having'an extracting drum rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and subject to unbalanced loads, a journal supporting carriage for the revolving extractor drum, a stationary frame, means for resiliently supporting said carriage from said frame, said means comprising rollers engaging substantially curved tracks, the center portion of which is relatively fiat and curves upwardly on either side thereof, and the curvature of which lies in substantially a single vertical 'plane extending transverse to the axis of drum rotation, and means for resiliently supporting said curved tracks for vertical movement upon said frame.

8. In a support for a washing machine having an extracting drum rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and subject to unbalanced loads, a journal supporting carriage for the revolving extractor drum, a stationary frame, means for resiliently supporting said carriage from said frame, said means comprising rollers engaging substantially curved tracks, the center portion of which is relatively flat and curves upwardly on either side thereof, andthe curvature of which lies in substantially a single vertical plane substantially transverse to the axis of drum rotation, means for resiliently supporting said curved" tracks for vertical movement upon said frame, and friction damping means for resisting relative movement in said vertical plane and for resisting axial movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 804,884 Rutan Nov. 21, 1,022,228 Edwards Apr. 2, 1912 1,089,748 Clark Mar. 10, 1914 2,058,185 Simon Oct. 20, 1936 2,386,788 Geldhof et al. Oct. 16, 1945 2,397,804 Nakken et a1. Apr. 2, 1946 2,411,383 Miller Nov. 19, 1946 2,412,852 Wood Dec. 17, 1946 2,414,506 Bowen Jan. 21, 1947 2,421,549 Dillon June 3, 1947 2,526,048 Russell Oct. 17, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 62,819 Norway Aug. 21, 1940 222,018 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1942 501,130 Great Britain Feb. 13, 1939 547,961 Great Britain Sept. 18, 1942 

